The present disclosure relates to semiconductor memories, and more particularly, to a nonvolatile memory device and a method of erasing the same.
Semiconductor memory devices may be classified into volatile semiconductor memory devices and nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices. Volatile semiconductor memory devices have a high read/write speed but have a disadvantage of losing their stored data when their power supplies are interrupted. Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device retain their stored data even when their power supplies are interrupted. Thus, nonvolatile memory devices are used to remember contents that have to be preserved regardless of whether power supplies are supplied or not. In particular, since a flash memory has a high integration compared with an existing EEPROM, it is advantageous in an application of a large capacity auxiliary memory device.
Recently, to improve a degree of integration of a semiconductor memory device, a semiconductor memory device having a three-dimensional structure is being studied. The three-dimensional semiconductor memory device has a structural characteristic different from an existing two-dimensional semiconductor memory device. Due to a structural difference between the three-dimensional semiconductor memory device and the two-dimensional semiconductor memory device, various methods for driving a three-dimensional semiconductor memory device are being studied.